Clandestine Transpirings
by Aurora Marie Williams
Summary: The X-Men are getting the break they never thought they'd have. Twenty-one year old Rogue is finally able to control her powers which has opened the window of new possibilities with a certain member of the X-Men. Will a week long trip to Washington D.C. assist Rogue in her romantic endeavors? Rogue x Wolverine, brief swearing. Previously T, now M.
1. Loading the Bus to Fun Times

**Authors Note: This is my first X-Men fanfic, so forgive me if it's not to your liking. Some background information: Marie/Rogue (I'll be referring to her in the story by both names) is twenty-one and Logan/Wolverine (I'll be referring to him as Logan most of the time) is the same age as in the real-life movies. So, just imagine him like that! Also, Marie/Rogue can control her powers. Basically, everyone is alive and humans don't really take notice of mutants. They regard them as normal people.**

**Marie/Rogue also has a good friendship with Kitty/Shadowcat (I'll refer to her as Kitty). The relationship between Bobby/Iceman and Marie/Rogue never happened.**

**Warning: This is a Marie/Rogue x Logan/Wolverine romance fan-fiction. If you are against the pairing don't read it! People say that their relationship is father/daughter, but I can see a romance (especially since I'm making Marie/Rogue twenty-one). There is brief swearing in this chapter and there will be in future chapters. Rating may go up in future chapters as well.**

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**Chapter One: Loading the Bus to "Fun Times"**

Marie couldn't believe she was packing for a trip that didn't involve any superhero missions, defeating villains, or saving people from their doom. The Professor had declared the team deserved a break, so he planned a trip to the nation's capital. Yes, Washington D.C.! Marie knew there was endless things to do and see in that city compared to life at the Institute in Westchester, New York.

Sure, New York was nice and all, but it wasn't everyday Marie was able to unwind and relax for a whole week. Plus, Kitty had an itinerary printed out for herself and Marie. Kitty had given Marie the blue sheet of paper one day after a session in the Danger Room. Marie was just now getting a chance to scan over the agenda. It was very obvious that Kitty was planning to spend a lot of time at the National Mall. Marie could guess why.

Ever since Marie was able to harness her poison skin, Kitty insisted she needed a complete make-over. Marie admitted in her head that she needed some new clothes (she was tired of being so hot from her layers of coverage). However, she wasn't about to tell Kitty that she agreed. Knowing Kitty, she would go overboard with revealing tops and scanty shorts. Kitty had changed a lot now that she was nearly twenty-one herself like Marie.

Marie placed the last outfit in her small suitcase (she always traveled light) and double checked she had everything to leave. Then Marie returned to her previous thoughts.

Kitty's fashion choices were great for Kitty, but not for Marie. Marie wanted to have a new style she could call her own. She didn't want anyone to influence her choices. . . . Although she might make an exception for a certain member of the X-Men. . . .

Logan had always been out of her reach. Marie's feelings for him had always been jumbled and unsure from the moment he let her in his truck and gave her something to eat. At first, Marie didn't know what to think. But recently she was becoming more and more certain of what she thought about Logan.

…...

Why did Marie have to mess with Logan this way? He had to keep telling himself that she was too young, and she deserves someone better than him. He wouldn't let himself steal away her life.

As soon as Chuck announced the grand trip to D.C., Logan had been panicking. And that wasn't something he was accustomed to, either. Marie could do that to him. Make him feel things that he hadn't before or didn't want to.

Kind of like right now. Logan had always had feelings for the girl, but now she was a woman. And if Logan wasn't mistaken, she was starting to have feelings for him, too. Or had she always liked him?

It doesn't matter, he told himself. Marie needs someone more stable than me. A man that will be able to provide for her and not be stupid and reckless.

But you can provide for her, the other person inside his head said. You can make her happy. You don't have to watch her be in someone else's arms. She can be in yours.

Shut up, Logan told his other self. He shoved some random clothes in a bag and grabbed his jacket and slipped on his dog-tags as he left his room.

…...

The buses were huge. Even though only twenty students were going, they were taking two buses. The people that were going were allowed to choose which bus they wanted to ride on. Marie had signed up for the second bus with Kitty. Also on the bus would be Ororo, Kurt, Jean, Scott, Bobby, and Logan.

Marie's heart had skipped a beat when she saw his name on the form in the meeting room. It was right under hers! So she had packed her best jeans, cleanest shoes, and most tempting shirts (which wasn't much). She had also brought along a wide variation of gloves – from long satin white ones to sexy black leather ones. She knew she didn't need to wear them anymore, but she had worn gloves for twenty-one years. It wasn't a habit that could be easily broken.

Beginning her path to the other side of the bus, a sweet, refreshing fall breeze rustled Marie's long dark hair and two ghostly white strips of hair on either side of her face. The bus was a coach, a cardinal bus from Middlebury, Indiana. That meant a huge section of the bus opened on one side to a spacious compartment for her to put her luggage. Marie was keeping a small bag with her that contained personal hygiene items, a camera, a watch, cash, and mints. She was also keeping a pillow and blanket with her that could all be stored in the overhead compartments on the bus.

As Marie rounded the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks. There was Logan helping everyone stash their luggage in the bus wearing a white wife beater under a navy blue three-quarter-length flannel shirt that was neatly tucked into crisp jeans that complimented his coffee and cream cowboy boots well. In other words, he looked hot.

Even though she knew she was blushing, Marie began walking again, slowly, careful not to trip and make a fool of herself in front of _him_.

…...

Logan doing his best not to drool. He was putting Kitty's abnormally massive suitcase (it was still light as a feather to him) in the bus compartment when Marie stepped into view. And did she look good.

A dark green long-sleeve shirt that hugged her curves and dark jeans with black all-star converse. She had a small brown bag strapped to her back and was wheeling a matching small suitcase behind her along with two other small things he couldn't make out. Her hair was pulled back into a partial ponytail. As always, she wore minimal make-up (Logan loved that she didn't obsess over her appearance like other females he knew). What was surprising is that she wasn't wearing gloves.

He knew that she was able to control her powers – there had been a huge to-do to celebrate – but she had continued to wear gloves anyways. Logan thought it was cute. Her hands were smooth and her fingers long, thin, and graceful. Her fingernails appeared to be – what did they call it? Paris-topped? No, french-tipped. To Logan, they were gorgeous.

Then he realized how close she would have to be for him to be able to make out such small details. Logan focused back on reality and saw her standing about two feet away from him, her suitcase positioned in front of her. She was wearing an extremely sexy smile.

Logan dropped Kitty's suitcase which landed on his foot with a sickening thud.

"Dammit," he muttered as he rubbed his foot. Why did that kid have to pack like she was _moving _to Washington D.C.?

"Are yeh alright, Logan?" Marie asked him, placing a hand on his arm to steady him. Her touch and her voice was too much for Logan. His arm muscles tightened in reaction, and when he spoke he stuttered.

"Y-yeah, I'm . . . I'm, uh, fine." Logan felt heat rushing to his cheeks.

"Ah'll get the luggage," Marie said. Before Logan could protest she picked up Kitty's suitcase with two hands and was moving it to the compartment.

"Let me get it, Rogue," Logan said. He placed his hand on the handle which, incidentally, Marie had her hands on. Logan shuddered when he touched her – not because her hands were cold or even because of her powers – but because her hands were warm. Logan could feel her pulse quickening to a nearly inhuman rate.

He looked up at her with a questioning look. Marie's skin tone changed from ivory to scarlet in a matter of seconds and she took her hand away slowly, while Logan kept his eyes locked on her rich chocolate brown ones.

"Um, I'm going to board the coach," Kitty said, interrupting the silence.

Marie swung the suitcase into the compartment and then put her own away; Logan continued to stare.

"Ah think we'd better get on the bus, Logan," Marie said calmly, avoiding his penetrating gaze.

"Hm? Oh, right, yeah." Logan nodded in agreement and moved over to the door leading to the coach. He stood beside it and gestured for Marie to go inside first. He wondered if he was overdoing the whole "gentleman" bit.

…...

"Thanks," Marie said somewhat awkwardly. Marie was greeted by a man wearing a white long-sleeve dress shirt under a black vest on which was pinned a gold name-tag that read "Steve". Black slacks and black tie-up dress shoes completed his look. He looked about sixty (he had silver-blue thinning hair), but he acted as if he were in his prime. Marie shot him a smile and continued to examine the rest of the transportation device she would be sleeping on that night.

Ororo and Kurt were seated very close to one another right in front, Jean and Scott not too far behind them. Kitty and Bobby were in the middle giggling over something Kitty was showing him on her iPod. Probably iFunny.

Marie made her way to the back and attempted to swing her carry-on into the overhead compartment above her seat. However, the shelving unit was ever so slightly above her reach – Why on earth do they gotta be so high? she wondered impatiently – so the bag swung back down. Then she felt a broad, strong hand on her shoulder. Logan.

…...

He took the bag in one hand and placed it above with his own carry-on. Then he reached for the other things she had.

"_A rainbow unicorn pillow pet and a purple fleece blanket?_" Logan was laughing hysterically.

"Yeah, so? Ah ain't never old enough for comfortable sleeping materials," Marie defended herself.

I can think of some comfortable sleeping materials that aren't too old for you, the animal inside Logan thought. Logan told it to stuff it.

Logan put the pillow and blanket up above as Marie took a window seat. Logan took the seat directly behind her.

Then a female voice came over the speakers on the bus. It was something like, "This is the bus you're going to be on for all of your tours that have been previously arranged. You'll find an itinerary at the front of this bus. There are trashcans in the front and back of the bus. This bus will be like you're home for the next week, so keep it clean. There will be a movie selection playing on the TV's above you. . . ." Logan didn't really pay all that much attention.

He pulled a cigar out of his pocket and struck a match just as the speaker said, "There will be NO SMOKING allowed on the coach at any time."

Logan leaned across the other seat to see a female dressed in the same attire as the bus driver, Steve, staring directly at him.

This was going to be a long trip.

The bus started to drive away from the Institute at about 7:30 p.m., and Logan was feeling kind of . . . well, giddy. It may have been because of a certain mutant sitting in front of him that was positioned where Logan could see her from her tiny waist up.

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**In case you didn't catch on, every time there is a series of periods, the POV changes from third person limited Marie to third person limited Logan or vice versa. I try to make it obvious which is which! I know that the characters are OOC, but they are supposed to be. There will be little hints of Marie x Logan along the way, but the real tension will start _in_ Washington D.C. I decided to do this trip to D.C. Because I was just there about a week ago. I went with a ton of friends on a coach bus and basically everywhere I went will be in the story. I know that the story isn't to interesting in this chapter, but I'm just setting everything up. Next chapter will be better, promise!**

**I'm also in need of a beta reader for this story. Let me know via review or PM if you are interested!**


	2. Advice and Blankets

**Authors Note: This story was much more liked than I thought, so posting sooner than I would have!**

**Thank you to everyone who left a review, added this story to their favorites lest, and/or subscribed!**

**I'm still in need of a beta reader! Let me know via review or PM if you are interested!**

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**Chapter Two: Advice and Blankets**

The overly cheerful bubbly voice of the female bus driver startled Logan from his deep sleep. He had finally positioned himself in such a way to where it was comfortable to drift off. Sure, the comfortable spot was on the floor underneath the seats of the bus, but it would be wrong to deprive a man of his comfort, now wouldn't it? Although Logan _did_ wish he had found a better spot because when the voice boomed on the speakers, he tried to sit up quickly and only succeeded in slamming his head against the bottom of a hard plastic seat. Plus, the intense overhead lights on the bus had switched on. It was like they were saying, "Wakey-upy, Logan! Nobody cares that you get any sleep whatsoever! Our only priority is to annoy the living daylights out of you!"

He growled in frustration.

"We'll be taking a short bathroom break at this rest stop, and then we will be on our way again!" the female bus driver said enthusiastically.

"I'll tell you where you can shove your bathroom break. . . ." Logan mumbled under his breath as he tried to get out from under the seats. How in God's name did he get under here like this in the first place?

"Logan, is that you?" Someone asked Logan from somewhere above him. He turned his head to see Marie looking down at him with concern.

"Unless I have a twin on this bus," Logan said.

"How'd yeh get all the way under there?" Marie asked him, somewhat suspiciously.

"You tell me," Logan grumbled. "Go get that kid, and have her phase me out of here."

Marie nodded and searched the bus with her eyes for Kitty. "Ah think Kitty went into the rest stop, Logan."

"Damn. Tell her to get on the bus and get me out of this," Logan demanded grumpily, still miffed about his sleep being interrupted.

"Ah'll be right back!" Marie said as she hurried off the bus, leaving Logan to his thoughts.

"So," a male voice said. "You're in a fix, aren't you?"

Logan turned over again to see a wave of silver-blue hair and startling blue eyes looking at him. It was Steve the bus driver.

"I do believe so, Sir," Logan replied without any sarcasm. The guy seemed just as tired as Logan did, so he cut him some slack by not giving him smart-alec remark. "Can you give me a hand?"

"Sure thing, son." Then Steve reached straight through the seats and extended the hand to Logan. For a moment Logan just stared at Steve in surprise, but then Logan grasped his hand, and pulled himself up through three rows of seats.

"You can phase through things," Logan commented, trying hard not to show the astonishment in his voice.

"Sure can. I'm a mutant just like you and all of your friends."

That was odd considering that Logan was the ultimate mutant detector with his sense of smell. But he brushed it off, sure he was just distracted by Marie.

"Was that your girlfriend you just sent off the bus?" Steve asked casually.

"Uh, um . . . well, no. . . ." Logan mumbled, feeling his cheeks color. He was going to have to learn how to control that when he thought about Marie. . . .

"And why not?" Steve inquired innocently.

"Because I'm no good for her," Logan replied easily.

Steve's brow furrowed. "What makes you say that?"

"It just can't work between us," Logan said sadly.

"Do you know how she feels about you?" Steve asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Not exactly," Logan mumbled.

"Then find out. And go get her, son." Steve smiled and clapped him on the back.

Logan smirked. "Thanks, Steve." Maybe the bus driver hadn't said too much, but it was enough to make Logan think. He sat back in his seat and reclined the seat as far back as it could go. He folded his arms, put on his shades to block out the lights on the bus, and shut his eyes, welcoming sleep . . . if it should come.

…...

This time Logan was awoken not to an annoying voice, but rather teeth chattering. Curiously, Logan sat up – this time in his seat and not the floor – and ran his eyes up and down the bus searching for the source of the chattering.

He quickly realized that it was Marie. She was curled up into a tight fetal position and leaning on the window, fast asleep. Logan leaned up and felt the window. It was stone cold.

Jumping out of his seat, Logan looked in the overhead compartment. He found what he was looking for. He sat down beside Marie and smoothed out her purple blanket, and layed it on her gently. Suddenly, Marie turned over, still asleep, and layed her head on the spot between Logan's neck and shoulder. At first, Logan didn't even dare to breathe.

Then he relaxed. Maybe this isn't so bad after all, he thought. He breathed in deeply, gasping for breath because he had held it in for so long. He silently cursed himself because Marie smelled deeply of vanilla. Of course Logan would never admit it, but vanilla was the one scent that could intoxicate him . . . besides beer.

Glancing over at Marie, he saw that she was no longer shivering. Logan also realized that one of her strips of white hair was hanging in her face. He remembered how she had gotten it. He had touched her white hair, and looked at her with sorrow. She had said that it was okay. She liked it even.

He smoothed her hair out and brushed her white hair behind her ear. Then her eyes snapped open. Logan always had the worst luck.

"Logan?" Marie asked quietly, looking up at him. "What are yeh-"

"You were shivering," Logan supplied hurriedly. "I got you your blanket . . . I'll go now." He began to rise from the seat.

"No!" Marie said, grabbing on to Logan's shirt to stop him from leaving. "Ah mean, um, Ah think Ah'll get cold again." She was quick. Marie put the middle armrest up and Logan sat back down. Without the armrest in the way, Marie could now fully lay against Logan. Did he mind? Hell no!

Logan re-positioned the purple blanket over both of them and wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her tense, but just as quickly relax. Logan could clearly remember when Marie had ran off and he caught up with her on a train. The two were nearly in the same position they were now, but the mood was different. Logan was trying not to enjoy it too much.

Marie's neck was exposed and Logan was fighting the animal urge to brush his lips against her flesh. Instead he rested his head on hers and focused on the passing buildings and lights he could see out of the large bus window.

A big green and white sign went by and Logan read the word, "Maryland." They were close to D.C.

That didn't exactly reassure Logan. Who knew what awaited him there. . . .


	3. Arrival

**Authors Note: Thank you guys for the reviews, favorites, and LOTS of subscriptions!**

**Special thanks to my new beta-reader for this story, Tigress2929! Originally this chapter was very short and bland, but thanks to her, this chapter is much more descriptive, better length, and overall, better than I could've done. (Obviously.)**

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**Chapter 3: Arrival**

Marie had some strange dreams that night on the bus. Her first dream was of awakening to the feeling of Logan brushing a strand of hair gently behind her ear – oh how she wished that were true. Logan would most likely never do that in the intimate way that she had dreamed of him doing it; as if he actually cared for her in the same way she did for him.

Secondly, she had dreamt of herself lying all over Logan, with him resting his head on hers only after wrapping his strong, muscular arms around her securely. Dreams were sweet and wonderful, only until after you wake up from them, she had thought to herself wistfully.

A golden ray of sunlight filtered through the window, sending a sudden warm feeling throughout her body and stirring her from her deep sleep. Blinking slowly, she came to the realization that it was already morning. Another day, a new outcome. Having brushed back her hair, she looked around groggily only to find Logan fast asleep beneath her.

It hadn't been a dream after all!

The twenty-one year old mutant smiled to herself triumphantly. Then a thoughtful expression bloomed upon her face as she began to mull over her recent discovery. Why had Logan been sitting with her on the bus in the first place?

She knew how he had gotten out from under the seats the evening before. Steve had explained to her that he had only instructed Logan to curve his body, Logan was able to wriggle his way , Steve had seemed to be acting a little bit awkward when he was recounting the details . . . almost like he was lying. . . . At the time, Marie couldn't help but wonder if Steve hadn't been telling the whole and complete truth.

By the time Marie had rushed back unto the bus with Kitty by her side, she had found Logan already fast asleep in his bus seat once again. She had proceeded to apologize to Kitty, and then went to sleep herself.

And now here she was awake, and living her perfect and ideal dream.

Scanning the rest of the bus from front to back, Marie found everyone else to be still asleep, despite the fact that it was obviously already morning. The bus of course was still moving, leading Marie to the assumption that they had to be close to D.C. by now.

In fact, Marie was right. Looking out through the glass window, she saw dozens of buildings scattered about the area that had been built to miraculous heights, which were dang close to being skyscrapers. There were also hundreds of cars swerving around erratically, impatiently trying to maneuver around other traffic. Still, it was not nearly as bad as it was in New York. Then Marie's eyes landed on the most spectacular building yet. The Washington Monument.

The Washington Monument was an obelisk, and a Neo-Egyptian kind of styled architecture. It stood to be a full 555 feet and 5-1/8 inches tall. It was also interestingly two toned; about 150 feet up the monument, the color changed from white to an creamy off-white. Marie vaguely remembered learning that the monument had been undergoing construction when some war – Marie couldn't remember which – within the United States had come along and they had been forced to halt the project. Plus, their funding was also beginning to decrease, creating another complication all on its own. When they had finally started rebuilding it again, they had discovered that all of the stone in the quarry they had been using was gone. This caused them to switch to a different use of stone, hence the reason of the two clashing colors. In the end, it had cost over $1,000,000 to build.

She was so excited for the trip, that she couldn't help but study every single thing about Washington D.C. before venturing on the journey. Kitty had called her a nerd, but Marie didn't mind. Just then Logan began to slowly stir, the movement pulling her out of her thoughts. Marie sat up in her own seat in order to make room. Logan's eyes snapped open suddenly. He immediately shifted upright before his nose twitched somewhat and he picked up on her scent. She could feel his body as it stiffened in surprise at finding himself where he was. His green eyes locked with hers and he searched Marie's hazel ones intensely.

"I-" Logan began, but then Kitty suddenly appeared in front of them, interrupting Logan and exclaiming madly at Marie.

"Ooh, Rogue, I can't wait to go to the mall! We are going to have so much fun here!" Marie smiled at her friend in amusement. The feeling of enthusiasm displayed by Kitty was certainly infectious.

Just then the bus pulled into the parking lot of the hotel that the group was going to be staying at. On Steve's command, everyone filed off of the bus in an orderly fashion along with their simple belongings, and retrieved their luggage from the bottom, outside compartment. Once finished with that process, each of the mutants obtained their room keys from Steve and headed to their designated area.

Jean and Ororo were paired together for a single room. So were Bobby and Kurt. Logan was being placed with Scott and Marie was to be roomed with Kitty.

Everyone was located on the same floor, including the younger mutants that were on the first bus. Everybody soon got settled comfortably within their quarters, and a few hours later met up for lunch at a restaurant on the third floor. Over lunch everyone discussed the plans that they had in mind, which hot spot store they were going to visit or which famous sites they were going to go see. They even also managed to agree on a curfew time for when the underage mutants had to be back at the hotel.

Once the they all were finished, the group disbanded and everyone went their separate ways, eager to explore their was dragged off by Kitty right away and before she knew it, she was standing under a huge gazebo-like topped ceiling.

Also known as... The National Mall.

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**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the late update of this chapter. You guys probably won't be happy about this, but I'm not going to be updating for a while – maybe not until after Christmas. Of course, if I get a ton of reviews or favorites or subscriptions for this chapter, I could sway towards writing another chapter here real soon. Happy late Thanksgiving!**


	4. The Wonders of Shopping

**Authors Note: Okay, I give. I'll write another chapter xD Without all of those reviews, this chapter seriously wouldn't have been written this soon. And give a high-five to phoenixqueen15 for being the most enthusiastic about this story! Thank you all for so much support.**

******Imm****ense thanks to Tigress2929! She's a fantastic beta-reader, I don't know what I'd do without her.**

******Chapter 4: The Wonders of Shopping**

Now what was Logan supposed to do? The farthest that he had planned in advance only involved making it out of the bus alive. . . . Which thankfully, he had managed to accomplish. Although, it was deemed a close call that very moment in which he felt his heart practically stop with the realization of where he had woken up this morning.

Today was issued as a free day to roam the city. In which case, meant that he could do whatever he so pleased. Tomorrow was when the actual site-seeing would occur, yet what good did that knowledge do him? That still left him without a single clue on what to do at the moment. All the other mutants had just taken off in a frenzied hurry, leaving Logan behind in the dust. In other words, Logan was still sitting at the lunch table . . . alone.

If he would have admitted it to himself, he was also feeling a bit frustrated. He let out a sigh, which had come out to be sounding more like an annoyed snort instead. What he had really needed at that moment was a beer.

He had pondered over the thought of following Marie, but then again, he didn't want to come across as some creepy stalker guy. What would she think of him then, if she spied his reflection in some random mirror, just standing there, staring at her? Would she go as far as filing a restraining order on him? He shook his head. That was crazy. He was just too uncertain on what he should do and that caused weird notions to pop into his head uninvited. What he did know was that he wanted to talk to her, in order to help shed some light on what had happened on the bus, and to calm his whirling thoughts.

Logan didn't have a single clue on what Marie thought had been going on this morning. Logan only knew that he had made a mistake. And a bad one at that. He knew that he was leading her on and he most definitely didn't want to do that. There were various reasons on the ___why _part of it, but Logan didn't feel that it was necessary to restate them in his mind. He had already been saying the same thing over and over again to himself for almost four years. . . .

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This had seemed to be like an almost ___okay _thing. The Institute had given every single student that was taking the trip to D.C., thousands of dollars in order to spend it as they personally saw fit. Marie was definitely spending her money in the same amount of time it took for her to breathe in and out her every single breath.

The first thing on Marie's and Kitty's list involved traveling down the escalators – sticking to the right side of course. That way if anyone had to rush down the escalators, because they were in a hurry, they most definitely would have a clear path. This was common D.C. knowledge that Steve had graciously divulged to the whole group.

After their little ride, Kitty and Marie made a beeline to Hagen Daas for some scrumptious ice cream. Kitty's vanilla yogurt with caramel topping was finished way before Marie's berry smoothie was sucked dry. Once the sweet deserts had finally disappeared and each finger had been licked thoroughly clean for any possible sticky leftovers... the actual shopping began.

They were strutting along the right side of the human traffic lane, when Kitty suddenly spotted a place that sold sunglasses and momentarily froze in awe. The twenty year old squealed with joy and grabbed Marie by the arm excitedly. She had dragged her into the small place so quickly, that she didn't even have time to catch the name of the store. The two mutants promptly threw away their empty ice cream cups, and they began the fun task of browsing.

Marie picked up a pair of simple white framed, dark tinted sunglasses. Peering on the inside of the left temple, she read the small price tag; she gagged. _$175.00_. Marie gingerly put the sunglasses back in their place, making sure not to accidentally break them somehow, and went to find Kitty. She immediately spotted her by the register with at least ___fifteen _pairs of sunglasses in her arms. Kitty placed them on the counter carefully and started pulling out her wallet filled with cash.

How on earth could she have picked out so many sunglasses in such a short amount of time? Marie wondered.

Kitty happily left the store with two bags of her securely wrapped sunglasses, and they resumed their walking once again.

Macy's was located at the end of the hallway on the ground floor, and both girls agreed to go in for a visit. Marie didn't figure that she'd find anything she liked . . . But boy, was she wrong. Kitty was extremely ecstatic and immediately kicked into fifth gear, almost knocking the employer of her feet in a haste to reach the sales racks. The way her eyes light up, along with that crazy, I'm in heaven, smile alerted Marie to the fact that they were about to spend a good amount of quality time there.

During that time though, Marie tried on five different pairs of shorts – all of which covered half of the space between her hip and knee. Which was perfectly fine with her, since it was not too risqué, yet most importantly, they were not sweltering hot. There were several skin tight shirts of various colors that had three-quarters of a length sleeves, which Marie absolutely adored, along with some silken green tops with plunging necklines, that shall she dare say? Were a bit... sexy?

Both Marie and Kitty's hands were soon weighed down with the immense amount of shopping bags they had. All of which had been stuffed to the top with the items purchased from that single store alone. The two then traveled up to the next floor, via escalator, and spotted a shoe store. This was perhaps a bit cliché, but shoe shopping was probably Marie's most favorite type of shopping. It was one of the most subtle, yet flashy, ways for Marie to express herself. Marie bought a pair of all-star high-top black converse, some red stilettos, gorgeous golden sparkly pumps, and a nice addition of jet black, knee-high, leather boots that were all able to be found in a tiny size 6 and a ½ shoe size. Kitty meanwhile had purchased more than ten pairs of heels and sandals, which was not all that surprising. At least not after what happened with the sunglasses.

The next part of the shopping experience was probably the worst. Marie knew she was in deep trouble the moment she spotted all of that... pink. How could she have missed it in the first place? It was the biggest store within any mall that Marie had ever seen.

Every time she had passed the store before in New York, she had simply averted her eyes. But now . . . it was just too hard to miss. Especially with Kitty's bubbly voice begging for Marie to go with her, despite the fact that Marie already knew she had no choice but to follow. The gold and pink sign was right above her now, drawing her gaze upward in order for it to taunt her with its vibrant colors. The colors that were so famously emanating from each and every sign for... Victoria's Secret.

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**How about that guys? * wiggles eyebrows * Okay, so I've been seriously neglecting my other stories, so I'm going to try to do some work on those. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be posted, but I'll try to get in two more chapters before Christmas! Thank you to everyone who has been reading this story! You all brighten my day!**


	5. Bad Luck

**Authors Note: Got some mixed reviews for the last chapter. Let me clear up some things.**

**The National Mall has been debated back on forth on the subject of whether it is or not, truly a mall. It all depends on what each individual is calling the "National Mall." In this story, the National Mall is the humongous building that contains various stores, food courts, floors, ext. Some people say that there are no stores in the National Mall and that I should do my research.**

**I've been to the National Mall. I ate Taco Bell there, bought some sprays from Bath & Body Works, saw Victoria's Secret, went up and down the various escalators, browsed through Macy's, got ice cream at Hagen Daas with my three best friends (one of them being Addison Blair, you can look her up by that name on this site), and looked at sunglasses that were $150+, plus a lot of other things that I bought at The National Mall that would take to long to tell you about. (A girl's got to shop, am I right?)**

**Actual experience beats "research" any day. Now, everyone can enjoy the story now that they know what I am referring to. And, please, no more flames via review or PM.**

**My beta-reader, Tigress2929, did an amazing job with this chapter. Her vibrant vocabulary and excellent flow really was the icing on the cake!**

**Chapter 4: Bad Luck . . .**

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_Well, isn't this just grand?_ Logan thought to himself.

No, it was not grand at all. In fact, this was the _last_ place on earth he had wanted to find himself at. His initial plan was to _place_ distance between himself and Marie, not to bridge it. Obviously, that was not going to happen with him being where he was at that very moment. Hadn't he heard Kitty's non-stop squealing about going to the Mall while they had still been at the Institute? Of course he had; it was impossible not to overhear Kitty when she talked, especially with the keen sense of hearing that he possessed.

Yet here he was, still trudging along with the swarm of other people with his shoulders slightly hunched, hands loosely clenched in frustration and the familiar feeling of a cigar, unbearably absent from his mouth. Apparently, mall security personal did not take too kindly to having some strange man trying to bring his smoke within the vicinity of the public area. Malls and their cops, those two subjects were just something he couldn't really comprehend at that moment.

Logan had rolled his eyes in exasperation the very moment he found himself standing amidst the hundreds upon hundreds of shops and food courts that were packed into the building. He wasn't _exactly_ sure on how he had ended up being there though. He could clearly recall the memory of being surrounded by psychotic parents who had agreed to gang together. Which was the starting creation of a huge pack of wild humans, who in the end, forcefully pushed their way through the double doors like a stampeding herd of bulls, in order to get their kids to see Santa Claus before anyone else could beat them to it.

The Mall was like a intricate maze which was masterfully created to trap shoppers within with all of it's winding hallways, escalators that always seemed to bring you to the same place, and so forth. Logan couldn't figure out where the darn exit was.

_Fantastic_. He took a deep breath and pondered over what he should do now. He was close to just slashing his way through the walls until he broke through to the outside. In the end, Logan concluded that it would be better if he would just continue to roam the store, in hopes of finding the exit that would lead him out of this place. Come to think of it though, he wasn't even sure what floor he was on. He vaguely remembered being forced up an escalator. By whom? He wasn't so sure. For all he knew it could of very likely have been one of those maniacal parents again. He shrugged, leaving it at that, and had begun walking around again, hands buried in his pockets, head bent down low, a snarl ready to escape from his throat at any moment. Apparently the people around him could sense his mood, for they wisely began to create a wide berth while walking on past him.

He had been walking for a full five minutes before he spotted _the_ store. It had been advertised on TV all the time. During those times though, it was easily evaded being seen with a press of a button and flipping through the channel. It was impossible to look away now though. . . Why? What was it that caused him to freeze and stare unblinking in that direction? What was it that captivated the full attention of the man and the beast residing within his body? The answer lied right in front of him. Because the thing that was responsible for drawing this reaction out of him, so happened to be standing inside that place. A place he never imagined that he would find _them_ being in. Marie and Kitty were in Victoria's Secret, and what he saw made his jaw drop.

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_What is the purpose of having alcohol in Victoria's Secret?_

That questioning thought drummed through her head for a couple seconds before dissipating into a cloud of unconcern at the back of her mind. Marie didn't really know the answer to the _why_ that dealt with the reasoning behind the store being concerned with handing out drinks, and normally she would have abstained from having any alcohol whatsoever, but it was a light _red_ wine. The delicious sensation of it running down her throat, causing her tongue to go aflame with its unique taste was satisfactory. A warm glow spread throughout her stomach at the mere thought of downing such a drink. Marie was, and always will be, a sucker for that particular kind of wine.

She couldn't really explain why she had done what she did, but the blame all revolved around Kitty who had encouraged Marie to have a little fun. Therefore Marie took a glass of that sickly sweet smelling drink, thinking none of it. And then it turned into her engulfing another one. And another one. . . .

Marie's thoughts were not very clear. All she had really known, was that she hadn't cared about what she was doing, as long as she was having fun. And to that bubbly friend of hers, Kitty's idea of trying on the lingerie outfits and prancing around the store sounded like a pretty fun idea. Plus, to top it all off both girls had gained their own live audience of men, whom to say in the least, were practically drooling while standing outside and openly staring through the wide entrance and side windows at them.

The best part of the whole thing was the people's reactions. Marie was giving the catwalk her all, in a fancy green laced bra and transparent bikini's. Some clapping and even a few wolf whistled erupted from throughout the audience; Marie smiled crazily in satisfaction and proceeded to strut her way back into the fitting room in order to change into another selection of clothing, while Kitty strolled out of her changing room in a lilac bustier, leather booty shorts, and . . . satin garters.

Marie swiftly garbed herself in a black ensemble whilst an uproar of appreciative hoots and hollers reached her ears. No doubt Kitty went the extra mile and did some little exotic dance of the sort. Marie smiled to herself as she examined her reflection in the mirror. An open-back silk bustier, lace boy-shorts, fishnets, and thigh-high midnight blue boots graced her form. She fluffed her hair a little, puckered her lips, and came out of the changing room the very same moment Kitty started to trail back to her own.

As Marie was striking a tempting pose, she spotted one of the younger mutants out of the corner of her eye, standing right next to the store's cashier. The mutant, Silas, was whispering lowly into the workers ear. Marie soon realized what was going on and lifted a perfectly arched brow in amusement. Silas could tell anyone to do something in particular, and without warning, an irresistible urge to succumb to his will would envelope the unfortunate victim. Right now, Silas was commanding the cashier to not stop the show. Although it was a bit doubtful that the cashier would have needed any persuading in the first place. Marie was practically sure of it.

A smile graced her lips as she tossed her hair in a wild manner before spinning her body to the left and turning her face to the crowd in order to blow them a kiss goodbye. And then, Marie saw _him_. Logan. Her body froze into place. He was standing right in the doorway, scanning Marie's body– which by the way was in perfect shape, thanks to the daily training done within the Danger Room. And Logan was drooling. She couldn't suppress the shiver of excitement that scorched a hot trail from the tip of her head, all the way down to her toes.


End file.
